Within the Wires is a science fictionanthologypodcast created by Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson. Set in a dystopian society in an alternate history, it is presented as in-universe audio files such as relaxation cassette tapes or museum audio guides. Each season follows a new storyline and characters, all set in the same world.
The series has been produced by Night Vale Presents since 2016. For its first five seasons, the podcast aired bi-weekly, but changed to a weekly release starting with Season 6. Cranor and Matthewson have written every episode, as well as the novel You Feel It Just Below the Ribs (2021), which is set in the podcast's universe.
Production
In an interview with CBC Radio's Podcast Playlist, Jeffrey Cranor explained that the initial idea behind the podcast was to use pre-existing audio guides as a template for storytelling, with the first season taking the form of a relaxation cassette program. Cranor had read and enjoyed Janina Matthewson's book Of Things Gone Astray, and they first met when he messaged her on Twitter in Autumn 2015 to invite her to a Welcome to Night Vale live show when it was touring through London. Cranor later pitched the initial idea to Matthewson and they began brainstorming story ideas together. Each episode is outlined by Cranor and Matthewson, before being written by one of them and then edited by the other. Every season is written by Cranor and Matthewson, with music by Mary Epworth. From season 4 onwards, Cranor and Matthewson also became the producer and director, respectively. The first season was partially funded through sponsored advertising.
With the release of the final episode of the first season, it was announced that those who donate $50 or more to the podcast would receive an exclusive prologue episode for the second season, which was released on August 22, 2017. After the launch of the podcast's Patreon, the prologue episode was included in the same tier as the bonus Black Box episodes.
Episodes
Every episode is written by podcast creators Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson.
Season 1: "Relaxation Cassettes"
In the first season, the listener, a medical inmate at a place called the Institute, receives guidance from the mysterious narrator of instructional relaxation cassettes.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
1
"Cassette 1: Stress, Shoulders"
24:11
June21,2016(2016-06-21)
SIDE A: Weight of the World. SIDE B: Shoulders and Giants.
2
"Cassette 2: Anxiety, Stomach"
22:28
July5,2016(2016-07-05)
SIDE A: Calming anxiety. SIDE B: Turning the Stomach.
3
"Cassette 3: Insomnia, Feet"
28:18
July19,2016(2016-07-19)
SIDE A: Plant Your Feet, Wanderer. SIDE B: Sleep On It.
4
"Cassette 4: Sadness, Lungs"
26:06
August2,2016(2016-08-02)
SIDE A: The Air in Here. SIDE B: The Confines of Freedom.
5
"Cassette 5: Focus, Nose"
29:30
August16,2016(2016-08-16)
SIDE A: I am a Camera. SIDE B: A Nose is a Nose is a Nose.
6
"Cassette 6: for Oleta"
25:04
August30,2016(2016-08-30)
SIDE A: The Past. SIDE B: The Future.
7
"Cassette 7: Doubt, Head"
28:03
September13,2016(2016-09-13)
SIDE A: Shadow of Doubt. SIDE B: Keep Your Head About You.
8
"Cassette 8: Awareness, Eyes"
26:14
September27,2016(2016-09-27)
SIDE A: All Eyes On You. SIDE B: The Likeness of Strangers.
9
"Cassette 9: Loss, Hands"
26:19
October11,2016(2016-10-11)
SIDE A: In the Calm of your Hands. SIDE B: Cut Your Losses.
10
"Cassette 10: Horopito"
26:16
October25,2016(2016-10-25)
Somewhere else.
Season 2: "Museum Audio Tours"
In the second season, an artist named Roimata Mangakāhia communicates with the listener through a series of museum audio guides. Every episode in this season features a guest star voicing the curator of the museum. Prior to the season premiere, three trailers composed of preview segments from the season itself were released, on August 15, August 22, and August 29, 2017. Donors of $50 or more to the production of the second season received a special prologue episode, "Cassette 0: Karikari Contemporary (1969)", on August 22, 2017, with the release of the second trailer.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
11
"Cassette 1: Tate Modern (1971)"
29:40
September5,2017(2017-09-05)
Still Life with Orchid; House with Yellow Door; The Charcoal Dish; Woman in Bath; Self Portrait with Cat. Featuring Mary Epworth as Fiona Williamson.
12
"Cassette 2: Ulster Museum (1973)"
26:17
September19,2017(2017-09-19)
Still Life with Tomato Plant and Sword, oil on canvas, 1962; Marketplace, Summer Afternoon, 1965; Stapler (1968); Fingers. Together. (1967); Sunshine Afternoon (1968); Self-Portrait with Cat (1972, unfinished). Featuring Sarah Maria Griffin as Mary Breathnach.
13
"Cassette 3: El Museo de Arte Contemporaneo (1974)"
55:00
October3,2017(2017-10-03)
A Palace Removed; The Parade in Paris; The Arising. Featuring Anairis Quiñones as Caty Velasquez.
14
"Cassette 4: Bardo Museum (1975)"
25:14
October17,2017(2017-10-17)
untitled figure with hat; untitled automobile with driver; untitled waves; untitled dinner party; untitled artists at work; untitled rope and parrot. Featuring Felicity Crentsil as Ama Cudjoe.
15
"Cassette 5: Van Gogh Museum (1977)"
26:34
October31,2017(2017-10-31)
Childhood Home, 1935; Childhood Home, Left; New Environments; Self-Portraits Sketchbook. Featuring Lia Albers as Lia Bakker.
16
"Cassette 6: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1978)"
30:40
November14,2017(2017-11-14)
Mantis on Branch; Rubbish #3; Rubbish #7; Rubbish #15; Needlework; Housefly; Darkened Room; Guests. Featuring Kate Leth as Zoe Tremblay.
17
"Cassette 7: Sree Chitra Art Gallery (1979)"
21:05
November28,2017(2017-11-28)
Women Alone, by Vanessa Nguyen; Self Portrait, by Roimata Mangakāhia; The Three Sisters, by Claudia Atieno. Featuring Lily Potkin as Clarissa Nair.
18
"Cassette 8: Ohara Museum of Art (1980)"
28:39
December12,2017(2017-12-12)
Stars (oil on canvas); Attentiveness (oil on canvas); Sunglasses and Cigarettes (pencil sketch on paper); Lamp (oil on wood); Box of Acorns (acrylic box, acorns); Eleven. Featuring Julia Morizawa as Leah Akane.
19
"Cassette 9: Metropolitan Museum of Art (1981)"
19:58
December26,2017(2017-12-26)
House with Yellow Door; Woman in Bath; The Empty Pier; Unfinished Work. Featuring Leah Nanako Winkler as Elaine Hara.
Early sketches (1953-1958); Providence (1964); Cornwall Cliffs (1972); Fingers Together, 1973; The Bodies, 1979; Self Portrait (1970); Claudia Atieno with Cat, 1974; Horopito #2, Horopito #4. Featuring Janina Matthewson as Hester Wells.
↑Packaged together with an episode of It Makes a Sound.
Season 3: "Dictation"
The third season, "a political thriller set in 1950s Chicago," is narrated by the bureaucrat Michael Witten; listeners access letters and notes dictated to his secretary.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
21
"Reel 1: July 3, 1953."
18:45
September4,2018(2018-09-04)
Letters to Sima Choudary, Helena Wood, and Bernice Jones.
22
"Reel 2: August 23, 1953."
19:40
September17,2018(2018-09-17)
Letters to Ursula Lindholm, Bernice Jones, and Vishwathy Ramadoss.
23
"Reel 3: November 26, 1953."
16:59
October1,2018(2018-10-01)
Letters to Sarah Chisholm and Reina Bachelor.
24
"Reel 4: February 15, 1954."
19:01
October16,2018(2018-10-16)
Letters to Vishwathi Ramadoss, Leena Mäkinen, and Bernice Jones.
25
"Reel 5: March 2, 1954."
18:45
October30,2018(2018-10-30)
Letter to Sarah Chisholm.
26
"Reel 6: March 24, 1954."
18:10
November13,2018(2018-11-13)
For Amy.
27
"Reel 7: March 29, 1954."
19:36
November27,2018(2018-11-27)
Letters to Vishwathi Ramadoss and Karen Roberts.
28
"Reel 8: April 20, 1954."
17:55
December11,2018(2018-12-11)
Letters to Bernice Jones and Sima Choudary.
29
"Reel 9: September 13, 1954."
24:02
January1,2019(2019-01-01)
Letters to Alejandra Reagan, Ursula Lindholm, Bernice Jones, and Sarah Chisholm.
30
"Reel 10: June 21, 1961."
24:01
January15,2019(2019-01-15)
Letter to Amy Castillo.
Season 4: "The Cradle"
Season Four, "The Cradle," is a story about a mother and daughter as they attempt to lead a family-centric commune surviving on the fringes of society. The leader of The Cradle — an anti-government commune hidden deep in a Scandinavian forest — escapes arrest and travels the globe to build her following. This 10-episode season is told via tape recorded letters home to her daughter and sermons to the commune.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
31
"Cassette 1: Spring 1993."
22:03
September9,2019(2019-09-09)
SIDE A: A letter for my daughter, Sigrid. SIDE B: Notes for the Cradle.
32
"Cassette 2: Autumn 1993."
22:29
September9,2019(2019-09-09)
SIDE A: Dearest Sigrid. SIDE B: Inspirational tale for the Cradle.
33
"Cassette 3: Summer 1994."
21:01
September23,2019(2019-09-23)
SIDE A: A story for Sigrid. SIDE B: A blessing for the Cradle.
34
"Cassette 4: Winter 1994–95."
21:47
October7,2019(2019-10-07)
SIDE A: Sigrid, a visitor is coming. SIDE B: A mantra for the Cradle.
35
"Cassette 5: Spring 1995."
24:01
October21,2019(2019-10-21)
SIDE A: Sigrid, I'm disappointed. SIDE B: A lesson of acceptance for the Cradle.
36
"Cassette 6: Summer 1996."
24:19
November4,2019(2019-11-04)
SIDE A: Great news, Sigrid! SIDE B: A parable from The Hand.
37
"Cassette 7: Spring 1997."
20:15
November18,2019(2019-11-18)
SIDE A: Motherhood is difficult, Sigrid. SIDE B: A sermon for the Cradle.
38
"Cassette 8: Winter 1997–98."
24:22
December2,2019(2019-12-02)
SIDE A: Keep your eyes open, Sigrid. SIDE B: A homily on readiness.
39
"Cassette 9: Autumn 1998."
19:55
December16,2019(2019-12-16)
SIDE A: Stay focused, Sigrid. SIDE B: You must believe in me, my Cradle.
40
"Cassette 10: Autumn 1999."
26:10
December30,2019(2019-12-30)
SIDE A: I love you, my glorious daughter, Sigrid. SIDE B: I love you all, my faithful Cradle.
Season 5: "Voicemail"
As well as the main narrator voiced by Amiera Darwish, this season featured a secondary narrator voiced by Norma Butikofer at the end of every episode.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
41
"Episode 1: March 2008."
23:16
August25,2020(2020-08-25)
Voicemails to Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
42
"Episode 2: September 2003."
18:38
September8,2020(2020-09-08)
Voicemails to Artie, Rachel, Beverly, and Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
43
"Episode 3: March 2002."
21:37
September22,2020(2020-09-22)
Voicemails to Nan. Voicemail from Gwen.
44
"Episode 4: January 2002."
20:46
October6,2020(2020-10-06)
Voicemails to Nan, Liv, and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
45
"Episode 5: September 2001."
17:46
October20,2020(2020-10-20)
Voicemails to Nan and Sophie. Voicemail from Gwen.
46
"Episode 6: July 1999."
16:01
November3,2020(2020-11-03)
Voicemails to Nan and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
47
"Episode 7: October 1997."
19:33
November17,2020(2020-11-17)
Voicemails to Nan, Sophie, and Chunhua. Voicemail from Gwen.
48
"Episode 8: July 1997."
19:14
December1,2020(2020-12-01)
Voicemails to Nan, Sophie, and Liv. Voicemail from Gwen.
49
"Episode 9: May 1997."
20:40
December15,2020(2020-12-15)
Voicemails to Nan, Liv, and Sophie. Voicemail from Gwen.
SIDE A: What did you have for breakfast today? SIDE B: Children of the past
82
"Cassette 2: Listening Carefully"
20:59
October22,2024(2024-10-22)
SIDE A: Where do you get your clothes? SIDE B: Travel and languages
83
"Cassette 3: Pick Your Battles"
19:37
October29,2024(2024-10-29)
SIDE A: A thing called war SIDE B: Propaganda is a tool
84
"Cassette 4: Start from Scratch"
18:10
November5,2024(2024-11-05)
SIDE A: The toll of the Great Reckoning SIDE B: Bangalore, summer of 1950
85
"Cassette 5: History is Narrative"
17:43
November12,2024(2024-11-12)
SIDE A: How the New Society ended war SIDE B: No reason to be unhappy
86
"Cassette 6: Talk Your Way Out of This One"
22:50
November19,2024(2024-11-19)
SIDE A: The world knew it had to change SIDE B: The Belgrade summit of 1947
87
"Cassette 7: New Beginnings"
18:17
November26,2024(2024-11-26)
SIDE A: Have you ever made a really big mess? SIDE B: The mess of the Great Reckoning
88
"Cassette 8: Rewriting Wrongs"
19:34
December3,2024(2024-12-03)
SIDE A: Life before the New Society SIDE B: How the pre-Reckoning world worked
89
"Cassette 9: Regression"
18:12
December10,2024(2024-12-10)
SIDE A: Mothers and fathers SIDE B: Excerpt from Tamburlaine the Great Part II and the founding of the New Society
90
"Cassette 10: Finding Your True Voice"
23:28
December17,2024(2024-12-17)
SIDE A: Preface from the Director of the DCD SIDE B: You are the future
Season 10: "Research Island"
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
91
"Cassette 1: Research Island"
21:42
October14,2025(2025-10-14)
92
"Cassette 2: Wildlife"
15:38
October21,2025(2025-10-21)
93
"Cassette 3: Protests"
17:30
October28,2025(2025-10-28)
94
"Cassette 4: Spooked"
14:58
November4,2025(2025-11-04)
95
"Cassette 5: Concrete"
14:59
November11,2025(2025-11-11)
96
"Cassette 6: Strange Flowers"
16:35
November18,2025(2025-11-18)
97
"Cassette 7: Haunted Mansion"
18:49
November25,2025(2025-11-25)
98
"Cassette 8: Struggling"
15:53
December2,2025(2025-12-02)
99
"Cassette 9: Delivery"
15:12
December9,2025(2025-12-09)
100
"Cassette 10: You Should See It"
18:33
December16,2025(2025-12-16)
Bonus: "Black Box"
Within the Wires' Patreon includes an exclusive season called "Black Box", released four times a year, on solstices and equinoxes. The season tells the story of an unnamed pilot (narrated by Cranor) through his black box recordings.
No.
Title
Running time
Original release date
B1
"Black Box Cassette 1: PHL to PWM"
12:31
March20,2018(2018-03-20)
B2
"Black Box Cassette 2: PWM to MDW"
11:16
June21,2018(2018-06-21)
B3
"Black Box Cassette 3: MDW to YYZ"
14:30
September23,2018(2018-09-23)
B4
"Black Box Cassette 4: YYZ to ATL"
13:43
December21,2018(2018-12-21)
B5
"Black Box Cassette 5: HOU to LAX"
11:23
March20,2019(2019-03-20)
B6
"Black Box Cassette 6: LAX to SEA, SEA to YUL, YUL to MSY"
8:50
June21,2019(2019-06-21)
B7
"Black Box Cassette 7: MSY to HOU"
10:30
September23,2019(2019-09-23)
B8
"Black Box Cassette 8: LAX to SEA"
8:40
December25,2019(2019-12-25)
B9
"Black Box Cassette 9: SEA to TIL, TIL to ABQ"
12:54
May30,2020(2020-05-30)
B10
"Black Box Cassette 10: ABQ to SCL, LIT to???"
11:48
January25,2021(2021-01-25)
Live
Within the Wires' first live show was performed by Janina Matthewson at the London Podcast Festival on September 13, 2018. They did two live shows starring Lee LeBreton, one at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles on April 27, 2019 and one at PodX in Nashville, Tennessee on June 2, 2019.
Book
In 2021, Cranor and Matthewson published You Feel It Just Below the Ribs, a novel set in the universe of Within the Wires. A fictional work written in the style of an annotatedautobiography, it details the events of the "Great Reckoning" and the formation of the Society from the point of view of one of the survivors. The book was released on November 16, 2021. The audiobook was narrated by Kirsten Potter and Adepero Oduye.
Reception
Marc Hershon of The Huffington Post positively reviewed the second episode, stating that it "has a distinctive flavor all its own" and that the show is "every bit as warped as [Welcome to Night Vale]." Nathan Dorer of The Rensselaer Polytechnic positively reviewed the first season, finding that "the evolution of the podcast throughout the first season was borderline artful" and praising Matthewson's narration and the "effective" atmosphere of the podcast. Steve Greene of IndieWire praised the podcast as "an off-kilter delight" and observed that it was "something that can only exist in this medium." Devon Taylor of The Sarahs observed that because the story is "parceled out slowly" it could "frustrate listeners accustomed to a more linear plot," while also drawing positive comparisons to Lost and the works of David Lynch.
